If you are going after all 74 blueprints dotted around ARC Raiders, you will quickly realise it is not just luck – it is about knowing the best spots and what to keep an eye out for. Sure, playing through the campaign naturally nets you a fair few, especially the ones linked to major story beats and side missions. Keep up with all the optional quests and chat with every key NPC you bump into in Xadie, because those small errands can drop exclusive weapon mod schematics you will not see anywhere else. Being a bit of a completionist early on builds your kit and saves you time later. And if you are wondering how to trade or boost your haul, ARC Raiders Items might be worth a look.
Once those guaranteed picks are out of the way, the hunt really kicks in. Most of the goodies are tucked away where you would not think to look. Keep eyes peeled for cracked walls, hollow-sounding panels, and busted floor sections – a quick melee hit or small explosive can reveal a stash. People often forget to scan above too; open vents or half-collapsed ceilings can lead to tiny maintenance rooms packed with gadget blueprints. Water is another one – any sizeable pond, river or flooded chamber could be hiding submerged wrecks or containers. Diving might feel like a chore, but the extra armour bonuses you get from those hard-to-spot finds are worth it.
You will also stumble across places that look like set dressing but are actually small puzzles. Dead terminals, odd switches, pressure plates – most of these have cables leading somewhere, or a power source waiting to be triggered. Solving them can unlock a chest with a high-tier design inside. Walking past without checking is a missed opportunity, especially if you are scouting alone. Sometimes having a mate watching your back while you tinker saves you from getting caught in the middle of a puzzle.
The most valuable blueprints, the ones everyone talks about, sit in the more dangerous zones. We are talking ARC facilities bristling with guards, crash sites swarming with elite enemy units, or the depths of active hives. These often need special keycards you get from taking down bosses, or you will find a container that triggers a full-on defence event the moment you touch it. Going in solo here is asking for trouble – better to roll with a crew, have one person on hacking duty, and let the others keep the heat off. Spotting and killing an “Apex” class ARC unit almost always drops a rare schematic, so make those fights a priority when you can. Tackle them smartly, and the payoff will make you glad you pushed through. If you really want to speed things up, you can always buy BluePrint to round out your collection.
